


Against All Odds

by thymesisandpsyche



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action & Romance, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Shingeki no Kyojin AU, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-06-16 02:17:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15426852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thymesisandpsyche/pseuds/thymesisandpsyche
Summary: This is not your typical Hange x Levi fanfic, but a story about solving a corruption case, involving individuals who apparently are used as pawns in a chess game. Can a white pawn choose to side with the black ones? Or is it the other way around?





	1. The Identity of the Tarot Reader

It was a typical dusk in a typically busy city. The Sun is about to set, but the streets are as busy as they were during the day. Streetlights begin to grow brighter, and so are the lights from the sidewalk stalls. The chirping of crickets are becoming louder, and so are the engines of motor vehicles.

Clumped people are crossing the pedestrian lanes while files of vehicles line up, waiting for the streetlights to turn green.

The shadows are getting longer, but some people are just not ready to end the day yet.

"The Magician, and a reversed High Priestess. Mister, you've got two major arcana for the your first two cards." Hange said.

"And what could that mean?" Hange's client said.

_Hange's current job is being a Tarot reader._

"Say, mister. I'd vouch for the fact that you excel in your work, and you know how to run the things involved in your job. I can say that your abilities are of no problem, but are you really willing to continue as the others see you?"

"Why'd you ask that?"

"Hmmmm. I think deep inside, you are seeking for an inner guidance, as indicated by the reversed position of the High Priestess card. You want to seek the unknown - uuuh I mean the unknown deep inside, not that of the physical world. Did you get me?"

_A man who works as an educator is the last of her clients for the day._

After the reading, her client vowed and lent her a pile of money, which amounts to more than what she asks for the payment.

"Thank you for the reading. Please accept this tip as a token of my gratitude."

Hange accepted the pile of money wholeheartedly and replied: "Thank you sir. Please be careful on your way home."

The Sun has already set when Hange finished wrapping up her stall. Before going home, she walked towards the Town Center. This has been her habit ever since. She would make a detour in malls, cafes, even in government offices before going home - perhaps due to the nature of her real job.

She hurriedly walked to the comfort room and got herself changed. She removed her make-up, her red-colored wig, her blue contact lenses, and her long, black dress. She wore a vibrant yellow shirt, knee-length pants, and black sneakers. Lastly, she put on her eyeglasses.

"Aaah... this is the best disguise of all! Being myself!"

As she left the building, she noticed that there was a shadow lurking behind her. However, she did not feel anything, as if she expected it coming. As a precaution, she decided to make another detour. This time, to a cafe.

"Hey, don't you have any consideration left for your friends? Why ask us to come suddenly?" Rico and Nanaba nagged.

"Haha, just kidding. You know we're always here for you." said Nanaba.

Then Rico asked, "But seriously, what is it this time? I know you would only do this when something bad happens in the middle of your work."

"We know that you love what you are right now, but you worry us most of the time!" Nanaba added.

"You guys, you haven't changed at all! You didn't even let me say hello!" Hange finally spoke.

"Well, Miss forensic scientist. How's your case goin'?" Nanaba asked Hange.

Rico and Nanaba, Hange's friends and roommates in college knew that Hange wants a job where she can provide for justice while using her mind - thus being a forensic scientist. But they never knew that this is just ONE in the pool of her current jobs, of all the things that she is actually capable of doing.

"Well, I'm still in the process of looking for that one I need to find." answered Hange.

"Here we go again, receiving vague answers again." Rico remarked.

Hange retorted: "I-it's true! In forensics, you need to find everything. Even from scratch!"

"Anyway, let's have coffee and enjoy ourselves!" Nanaba said, understanding the confidentiality of Hange's job as a forensic scientist.

"I've always been curious with your current job, as I find it really awesome. You deal with human bodies sometimes, right?" Rico asked.

"Right. But what I really need to do is to look for as many evidence as I could." Hange replied.

"And you often do laboratory work to sequence DNA, right?" Nanaba also inquired.

"Right, I often investigate in a research laboratory often." Hange answered.

"Do you always find the perfect match? You know, the sequence thing. Or is it always not a match?" Rico further asked, out of curiosity.

"Ha! Because it's me, I always find the perfect match! Hahaha!" Hange exclaimed.

But Hange isn't talking about her job as a forensic scientist. She is talking about her job where she needs to find traces of her target, and investigate everything about her target one she finds him/her. Of course, she would always find the correct person. And in the world she lives in - that world Rico and Nanaba never knew, it is important to search for and make equipment upgrades, hence making her stay in the laboratory for days.

After reminiscing the past and talking about random things, the girls decided to go home. Hange agreed, as she noticed that the shadow she previously saw at the corner of her eye is gone.

Hange arrived home safely. Unbeknownst to her, someone was still following her until she arrived at her condominium unit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is Hange's real job? If you think that she's a SPY, then you're correct!
> 
> I am sorry for being gone for too long, as I had a writer's block. And I think I wouldn't be able to continue writing my previous work (Tea Turned Cold) for a while, as I need more inspiration (but don't worry, SnK season 3 is here!)
> 
> Meanwhile, I am uploading this fic (I actually have the chapters until the climax already). I hope you enjoy reading this one.
> 
> Next chapter: What is Hange's current mission?


	2. Isabel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Hange's day-off. She will be visiting Isabel... in a hospital.

It is the weekend. Basically, it is a two-days off when Hange can freely do whatever she wants. During these days, she is not required to report to her organization’s headquarters nor perform undercover missions, such as doing a handful of side jobs or roaming around the city.

Nonetheless, Hange isn’t the type to rest during weekends. Even if it’s her rest day, she would opt to report to their headquarters anyway. Otherwise, she would do some random errands such as strolling around libraries or bookstores.

This day is no different. Even if it’s a day-off, Hange set out early for an errand.

Today, she will be visiting a hospital.

It is not really a hospital – but an orthopedic rehabilitation center. It is easily recognizable as it is adorned by a number of ramps, encircling the rectangular prism that houses a lot of patients recovering from their injuries or undergoing musculoskeletal treatment.

After walking through the gentle slopes of the building’s ramps, Hange finally arrived at the second floor of the rehabilitation center.

“Let me see… Uhh…Room 221, 223… Aaah! Here it is!”

She knocked at the door.

“It’s you…… Ms. Angie!”

That’s right. In rare occasions, Hange would use “Angie” as a nickname.

“Isabel!” Hange placed a basket with fruits on the table beside the bed, then gave the girl a hug. “How are you?”

Isabel is an orphaned girl who has been confined in the rehabilitation center for a while now. As far as Hange knows, she has two adoptive brothers who are working far away in order to pay for her rehabilitation.

“I’m fine! Yesterday, I managed to wiggle my right foot!” Isabel happily exclaimed.

“That’s great! Since you’re becoming stronger, would you like to go for a stroll in the park?” Hange said, as she was delighted in Isabel’s progress.

“I’d like to! But… will the nurse approve of it?” Isabel asked.

“I’ve already asked permission about it!” Hange happily replied, “… and the rehabilitation center highly encourages you to go out once in a while.”

Being excited, Isabel said: “Really? I’m so happy! It’s been a while since someone paid me a visit.”

After a few preparations, Hange walked out of the room while pushing Isabel on a wheelchair. They strolled in a public park two blocks away from the rehabilitation center.

“Isabel, uhh… I’ve been wondering, where are your brothers? Didn’t you say that it’s been a while since they visited you?” Hange inquired.

“That’s right! Brother Farlan was the last one to visit, and it was eight months ago. My eldest brother, on the other hand, haven’t visited in two years.” Isabel explained.

“Woah. That’s quite long! Did you know why?”

“He’s busy with his job, I think. But you know what, Ms. Angie? My eldest brother never failed to buy my supplies every week, and he always writes me every month! Brother Farlan would have some books delivered to me from time to time.”

“That’s good to hear. They provide for your needs… at the least. Do you miss your brothers?”

“Well, not that much. I understand how they’re doing their best to take care of me. Also, I believe in them!”

“What an understanding girl you are, Isabel! And don’t forget, I am also here to support you!”

“Ms. Angie, thank you!” Isabel replied, “You’re so kind. I hope you meet my brothers soon. I think you’ll like each other!”

“If you say so, then I guess we will!”

The Sun was about to set when both of them got back to Isabel’s room. After settling down, Hange waited for Isabel to get asleep before leaving.

After this, Hange needs to go somewhere else – to her organization’s headquarters.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Hange meet Isabel's brothers?
> 
> Not yet. (or not?)


	3. Hange's Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hange visits her organization's headquarters.
> 
> What is her current mission?

Hange carefully took two taxis before leaving the city. Since she had to be careful, she had no choice but to set the city boundary as the drop-off. From there, she took a traditional carriage until she reached a rural town.  From that point, she needs to walk a 14-hectare field before arriving at a dense forest where a secret facility is located – the Survey Agency Headquarters.

Hange had a biometric scan - her eyes and fingerprints included, then a huge metallic folding door opened before her.

From an outsider’s perspective, the headquarters looks like a typical farm warehouse. But as one gets inside, the walls are made up of either opaque or transparent glass, and the facility operates based on the newest technology. As Hange walked further, people who are wearing coffee brown coats, white tight-fitting pants, and black combat boots were seen busily walking across the corridors. Besides the uniform, all these people have one thing in common – a blue and white wings of freedom emblem which is embedded in the right sleeve of their uniforms.

This is the Survey Agency, a private organization which carries out investigations for the benefit of the citizens of their country. A few people, mostly nobles, politicians, and the police, establish partnerships with the Survey Agency to solve problems involving crimes, territorial disputes, and corruption. The existence of the agency needs to be kept in secret though, as the range of their investigations can turn even the most powerful people against them.

As Hange happens to come across each Survey Agency staff, they would give her a salute. She stopped walking as she reached the commander’s office.

“Pardon the intrusion, Erwin.”

The tall, blonde man who was standing by the window, Erwin Smith, is the incumbent commander of the Survey Agency.

“Hange! Come in. It’s been a while since I last heard from you.”

“Ahahaha! You’re exaggerating, Erwin. It’s just been two weeks!” Hange sat down, as Erwin lent her a glass of water.

“But on a more serious note, I think we need to get down to business. Immediately.” Hange continued.

“How’s your investigation?” Erwin inquired.

“I was able to neutralize two men who was following me the other week. I brought them to one of our research stations for questioning. It seems that this case is more serious than we thought.” Hange explained.

“And those men?” asked Erwin.

“They work under Lobov. But I discovered yet another important information.”

Nicholas Lobov is a local politician who was suspected to manipulate the national funding. As far as the Survey Agency knows, he is directing a large portion of the national budget to ghost organizations and non-existent charity works.

Erwin was just listening intently to Hange. Then Hange continued:

“Lobov is hiring men to investigate us. We already caught the two of them, but it looks like he hired more. Moreover, the hires act independently. Both of them didn’t know there were others who had the same mission as theirs. We tried extracting information as much as we could, but these agents seem to see just the light scratches.”

“That might be Lobov’s way of securing information. Whether these agents get killed or not, he wouldn’t care anyway.” Erwin concluded.

“Any incidents in the headquarters yet?” Hange asked.

Erwin assured: “None so far. But they might retaliate soon. We need to be more careful.”

“In addition, I think I discovered the one who orchestrated the data breach one of my office’s had last time.” Hange continued. “As I tried to trace the IP address, I arrived at this username, L-E-V-1. Aaaaah, it took me a while since this user was really adept at rerouting his access commands. It was fun, though.”

“I see. That really fits the information obtained from my side.” Erwin said.

“And that is...?” Hange asked.

“Lobov hired an infamous agent by the name of Levi Ackerman.”

“Levi…Ackerman? Is it possible that he’s this hacker under the username L-E-V-1? And is Levi Ackerman his alias?”

“That’s affirmative. That agent is infamous because of his hacking skills and excellent marksmanship. What’s even more peculiar is that he’s not fond of using aliases. Levi Ackerman is his birthname.” Explained Erwin.

“He’s that strong? Now that’s interesting. How do we deal with him? Shall I call Moblit to specifically neutralize him?” Hange offered the help of Moblit, her assistant in the research arm of the Survey Agency.

Definitely, they can. But Erwin has another thought in mind, but he chose not to disclose it to Hange.

“I advise that you allow Moblit to stay in his current assignment. He’s still assisting you in that data decryption, right? I suppose it would be best for you to investigate this Levi Ackerman head-on, Hange.”

“Do I need to turn him over to you?” Hange clarified.

“As much as possible, when he’s not hostile. If he’s not that dangerous, he will not allow his identity to drift away in the open.” Erwin answered.

“Got it! When should I report back here?”

“It’s your prerogative. You may not report if you don’t see it fit.”

“I got it. I’ll just contact you through remote communications in case something happens.”

“Thank you. I count on you, Hange.”

As Hange skipped out of his office, Erwin thought to himself:

“Apologies, Hange. But I can’t involve the whole Agency in this. YOU are their target, after all.”


End file.
